New local patio store offers custom service year round

By Megan R. Harrell
Star Staff
mharrell@starhq.com

   Patio Store, 1318 West G St., is looking forward to its first complete year in business. The store sells PVC patio products, PVC wicker and cast aluminum furniture. The business offers custom designed cushions and various seasonal accessories.
   Owner Charman Shepard bought some of her stock from a Johnson City patio store after it closed, and has supplemented the stock with new orders. Customers are able to select the exact measurements and colors of their cushions. "They can mix and match cushions for the PVC furniture and make your own set. You pick the kind of cushions you want," Shepard said.
   Patio Store offers the community year-round service, where larger retail stores only stock the products during the summer months. Retail stores do not take patio furniture returns or sell accessories out of season, whereas the Patio Store offers the services year-round.
   The PVC furniture is advantageous because it can be left outside all year and the cushions can be left out in the rain. "The cushions dry very quickly," Shepard said. "They are about five inches thick and they dry in about an hour." Because of its quick drying time, the furniture is ideal for swimming pools. The PVC cannot rust or deteriorate which makes it a durable consumer choice.
   The stylish furniture at Patio Store can be used for indoor or outdoor purposes. Fabrics vary from soft cotton to acrylic and offer a range of different design looks. Shepard stated that although the materials are very different, they all are extremely easy to clean and maintain.
   After customers choose their fabrics and measurements, Patio Store's onsite factory manufactures the cushions. "Even though I may not have a cushion made up in a certain fabric, I have over 100 different fabrics to choose from," Shepard said. There are 15 factory workers that assemble furniture and sew cushions.
   In their first complete year of operation, Patio Store owners hope to get their business' name out into the community. Shepard stated that most of their business so far has generated from satisfied customers' word of mouth.